Socks and sandals: A fashion faux pas?

L-A: It’s been awhile since we last talked socks and sandals and it’s high time we revisit the subject. To help us do just that, guest blogger Jacklyn takes a look at the great socks and sandals debate….

Jacklyn: Socks and sandals. Brings me right back to about…

Here:

Over and over again. Dressing up in mom’s high heels. A cute photo opp – when you’re like, 6.

Certainly not new to this season, they seem to repeatedly come back – from street style, to the Burberry runway, to Club Monaco and Banana Republic storefronts all over.

Storefronts, hoarding, fashion blogs galore, really have a thing for this look. When I first saw these blue sandals and black ankle socks it simply was not working for me.

Chirp, chirp, chirp. Yup, drew a blank. I mean, if we’re being honest here, my first thought was… How on earth is this supposed to be fashionably feminine and romantic or god forbid… sexy? However, the rest of that little number – the cute shorts and long tee ensemble – is quite charming. As for this pleated mini and blouse, also très cute.

So I did some more digging… Despite my best efforts to dislike the look, the more I found, the more it started to grow on me. Take a look at the Charlotte Ronson’s Spring 2011 Collection. A mix of closed-toe and peep-toe booties paired with a scrunchy sock to create somewhat of a grundgy, yet still romantic look. Pretty adorable. Yes, that’s right I said it. Charlotte helped me love the look.

While I’m slowly falling for this deemed-by-some, fashion faux-pas… I will in confidence say this:

Boys, it’ll never work for you.

I’ll be the first to admit I get weak in the knees for the nerdy tourist look, but let’s be serious here. Even the socks and sandals that made it down the runway in years past Spring collections by designers like Prada, for Yves Saint Laurent and Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga simply do not help justify the look for me. I can’t get past the hot yellow short shorts, let alone the scrunchy socks and sandals. Colour-blocking however? Definitely more of a success (even if unintentional).

Now, onto how you can rock this look. Sock or no sock, this Boho Tan by Stuart Weitzman is the cutest. Pair it with a slouchy cropped pant like the one below from H&M, a printed sundress from Joe Fresh, or a maxi skirt (also a fave of mine this season) from net-a-porter.com and voilà!

I am no fashion expert by any stretch of the imagination. I dress for comfort and practicality. Specific to this topic is, when to wear socks with sandals. If the person likes the comfort of sandals but has a but of an athletes foot, club foot, or anything outside of the general norm, I would consider it a good thing.